Memoir

"I am to begin this year [1643] with that which was a matter of great sadness and mourning unto them all.

About the 18th of April died their Reverend Elder and my dear and loving friend Mr. William Brewster, a man that had done and suffered much for the Lord Jesus and the gospel's sake, and had borne his part in weal and woe with this poor persecuted church above 36 years in England, Holland and in this wilderness, and done the Lord and them faithful service in his place and calling. And notwithstanding the many troubles and sorrows he passed through, the Lord upheld him to a great age.

He was near fourscore years of age (if not all out) when he died. He had this blessing added by the Lord to all the rest; to die in his bed, in peace, amongst the midst of his friends, who mourned and wept over him and ministered what help and comfort they could unto him, and he again recomforted them whilst he could.

From page 57 of Collections Concerning the Church Or Congregation of Protestant Separatists Formed at Scrooby in North Nottinghamshire, in the Time of King James I: The Founders of New-Plymouth, the Parent-colony of New-England by Joseph Hunter. John Russell Smith, 1854 - Pilgrims (New Plymouth Colony) - 237 pages

A conjecture only, or rather a probable inference, can be made as to the time of his birth; for Bradford elsewhere tells us that "their reverend elder, our dear and loving friend, died on the 16th of April, 1644, being near fourscore years of age if not all out."36 This would carry back his birth to about the year 1564, which would make him only twenty-three at the time of Davison's fall. But 1560 is probably nearer the truth: for Morton, in his New England's Memorial, speaks of him as being eightyfour at the time of his death, which he places in 1643, not 1644; and Morton was the nephew of Bradford, and had papers of his now lost.

Notes

Family: William married a woman named Mary _____ by 1593. She died in Plymouth in April 1627.William Bradford in writing of William Brewster’s life and death wrote, that Brewster had “many children.” If so, there may be others besides those listed below as yet unidentified.

Children of William and Mary Brewster:

Jonathan was born in Scrooby on August 12, 1593. He married Lucretia Oldham on April 10, 1624, in Plymouth and had eight children. He moved first to Duxbury and about 1650 to Pequett (later New London), Connecticut where he died on August 7, 1659. He is buried in the Brewster Cemetery, Preston, Connecticut.

Patience was born in Scrooby around 1600. On August 5, 1624 she married Thomas Prence.They had four children. She died in an outbreak of “pestilent feaver” in 1634.

Fear was born in Scrooby around 1605. She married Isaac Allerton in Plymouth around 1625 as his second wife, and had two children. She died in 1634 during the outbreak of “pestilent feaver.”

Love was born about 1607 in Scrooby. He married Sarah Collier on May 15, 1634, and had four children. He died in Duxbury in 1650. His name was recorded by a grandson as “Truelove.”

A child of William was buried at St. Pancras, Leiden on June 20, 1609.

Wrestling was born around 1611 in Leiden. He died in New England unmarried between 1627 and 1651.

Elder William Brewster (c. 1560 or 1566 – April 10, 1644) was a Pilgrim colonist leader and preacher born in Doncaster, England and raised in Scrooby, in north Nottinghamshire, who reached what became the Plymouth Colony in the Mayflower in 1620. He was accompanied by his wife, Mary Brewster, and his sons, Love Brewster and Wrestling Brewster. Son Jonathan joined the family in November 1621, arriving at Plymouth on the ship Fortune, and daughters Patience and Fear arrived in July 1623 aboard the Anne.

Origins

He was born probably at Doncaster, Yorkshire, England, circa 1566/1567, although no birth records have been found, and died at Plymouth, Massachusetts on April 10, 1644 around 9 or 10pm. He was the son of William Brewster and Mary (Smythe) (Simkinson) and he had a number of half-siblings. His paternal grandparents were William Brewster and Maud Mann. His maternal grandfather was Thomas Smythe.

Scrooby Manor was in the possession of the Archbishops of York. Brewster's father, William senior, had been the estate bailiff for the archbishop for thirty-one years from around 1580. With this post went that of postmaster, which was a more important one than it might have been in a village not situated on the Great North Road, as Scrooby was then.

William Junior studied briefly at Peterhouse, Cambridge before entering the service of William Davison in 1584.[6] In 1585, Davidson went to the Netherlands to negotiate an alliance with the States-General. In 1586, Davison was appointed assistant to Queen Elizabeth's Secretary of State Francis Walsingham, but in 1587 Davison lost the favour of Elizabeth, after the beheading of her cousin (once removed) Mary, Queen of Scots.

Dissent

Cambridge was a centre of thought concerning religious reformism, but Brewster's time in the Netherlands, in connection with Davidson's work, gave him opportunity to hear and see more of reformed religion. While, earlier in the sixteenth century, reformers had hoped to amend the Anglican church, by the end of it, many were looking toward splitting from it. (See Brownist).

On Davidson's disgrace, Brewster returned to Scrooby. There, from 1590 to 1607, he held the position of postmaster. As such he was responsible for the provision of stage horses for the mails, having previously, for a short time, assisted his father in that office. By the 1590s, Brewster's brother, James, was a rather rebellious Anglican priest, vicar of the parish of Sutton cum Lound, in Nottinghamshire. From 1594, it fell to James to appoint curates to Scrooby church so that Brewster, James and leading members of the Scrooby congregation were brought before the ecclesiastical court for their dissent. They were set on a path of separation from the Anglican Church. From about 1602, Scrooby Manor, Brewster's home, became a meeting place for the dissenting Puritans. In 1606, they formed the Separatist Church of Scrooby.

Emigration

Restrictions and pressures applied by the authorities convinced the congregation of a need to emigrate to the more sympathetic atmosphere of Holland, but leaving England without permission was illegal at the time, so that departure was a complex matter. On its first attempt, in 1607, the group was arrested at Scotia Creek, but in 1608 Brewster and others were successful in leaving from The Humber. In 1609, he was selected as ruling elder of the congregation.

Initially, the Pilgrims settled in Amsterdam, and worshiped with the Ancient Church of Francis Johnson and Henry Ainsworth. Offput by the bickering between the two, though (which ultimately resulted in a division of the Church), the Pilgrims left Amsterdam and moved to Leiden, after only a year.

In Leiden, the group managed to make a living. Brewster taught English and later, in 1616-1619, printed and published religious books for sale in England though they were proscribed there, as the partner of one Thomas Brewer. In 1619, the printing type was seized by the authorities under pressure from the English ambassador Sir Dudley Carleton and Brewster's partner was arrested. Brewster escaped and, with the help of Robert Cushman, obtained a land patent from the London Virginia Company on behalf of himself and his colleagues.

In 1620 he joined the first group of Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower on the voyage to North America. When the colonists landed at Plymouth, Brewster became the senior elder of the colony, serving as its religious leader and as an adviser to Governor William Bradford.

As the only university educated member of the colony, Brewster took the part of the colony's religious leader until a pastor, Ralph Smith, arrived in 1629. Thereafter, he continued to preach irregularly until his death in April 1644.

Brewster was granted land amongst the islands of Boston Harbor, and four of the outer islands (Great Brewster, Little Brewster, Middle Brewster and Outer Brewster) now bear his name. In 1632 Brewster received lands in nearby Duxbury, and removed from Plymouth to create a farm in Duxbury.[7]

Brewster died in 1644 and was likely buried in Plymouth, possibly upon Burial Hill; however his place of burial is unknown.[1][2][3][4][5][8]

Children

Sometime before 1593, in England, William Brewster married someone by the name of Mary, whose maiden name and parentage have not yet been proven; it has been speculated that it could be either Wyrall or Wentworth, but there is no compelling evidence for either assumption. She was probably born in England circa 1568-1569. She 'dyed at Plymouth, Massachusetts on April 17, 1627.' (Brewster Book).* Bradford says that, though she died ' long before' her husband, 'yet she dyed aged,' but by her affidavit of 1609 she was less than sixty years of age and it is probable that her ' great & continuall labours, with others crosses, and sorrows, hastened it (t. a. old age) before y* time.'[9]

The children of William and Mary were:

Elder Jonathan Brewster (August 12, 1593 - August 7, 1659) married Lucretia Oldham of Derby on 10 April 1624, and were the parents of eight children:

Fear Brewster (c. 1606 - before 1634)[4] so called because she was born at the height of the Puritans' persecution. Married Isaac Allerton of London, 2 children.

Unnamed child was born, died and buried in 1609 in Leiden, Holland.[4]

* Love Brewster was born in Leiden, Holland about 1611 and died between October 6, 1650 and January 31, 1650/1, at Duxbury, Massachusetts.[4][14][15] At the age of about 9, he traveled with his father, mother and brother, Wrestling, on the Mayflower to Plymouth, Massachusetts. He married Sarah Collier in Plymouth, Massachusetts on May 15, 1634. Love and Sarah were the parents of 4 children:

* Wrestling Brewster was born in 1614 in Leiden, Holland; was living in 1627, died unmarried before the 1644 settlement of his father's estate.[4]

Places and things named after Brewster

Great Brewster Island

Little Brewster Island

Middle Brewster Island

* Outer Brewster Island

Brewster, Massachusetts

* Brewster Chair

Notable descendants

Elder Brewster's descendants number in the thousands today. Some of his notable descendants include;

Isaac Allerton Jr., the son of Mayflower Pilgrim Isaac Allerton and Fear Brewster and a grandson of Elder Brewster. He was a 1650 graduate of Harvard College and was a merchant in Colonial America; first in business with his father in New England, and after his father's death, in Virginia. He was a Burgess for Northumberland County and a Councillor of Virginia.

Roger Nash Baldwin, was one of the founders of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

* Moses Yale Beach, was an American inventor and publisher who started the Associated Press.

* Nora Stanton Blatch Barney, a suffragist, and was the first American woman to earn a degree in civil engineering. She was a granddaughter of Henry Brewster Stanton and Elizabeth (Smith) Cady Stanton and wife of Lee De Forest, an American inventor.

Harriot Eaton Stanton Blatch, was a notable American writer and suffragist and the daughter of pioneering women's rights activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Henry Brewster Stanton.

Lindy Boggs, is a United States political figure who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and later as ambassador to the Vatican. She was the first woman elected to Congress from Louisiana. She was also a permanent chairwoman of the 1976 Democratic National Convention

* Bishop Benjamin Brewster, was the Episcopal Bishop of Maine and Missionary Bishop of Western Colorado.

* Benjamin Brewster, was an American industrialist, financier, and one of the original trustees of Standard Oil.

Benjamin Harris Brewster,[citation needed] was an attorney and politician who served as United States Attorney General from 1881 - 1885.

* Daniel Baugh Brewster, was a Democratic member of the United States Senate, representing the State of Maryland from 1963 until 1969. He was also a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1950-1958, and a representative from the 2nd congressional district of Maryland in the United States House of Representatives from 1959-1963

David Brewster, is an American journalist.

* Diane Brewster, was an American television actress.

James Brewster, was an American coachbuilder, active from 1810-1937. Their first known bodywork on an automobile was in 1896, on an electric car, and a gasoline powered car in 1905, on a Delaunay-Belleville chassis. Eventually they would use chassis from a variety of makers. From 1915-1925 and 1934-1935 they produced their own line of opulent and expensive automobiles at their plant in Long Island City.

* Janet Huntington Brewster, was an American philanthropist, writer, radio broadcaster and relief worker during World War II in London. She was the wife of Edward R. Murrow, an American broadcast journalist

* John Brewster, Jr., a prolific, deaf itinerant painter who produced many charming portraits of much of Maine's elite society of his time, especially their children.

Jordana Brewster,] (born April 26, 1980) is an American actress, and granddaughter of Kingman Brewster, Jr.

* Kingman Brewster, Jr., was an educator, president of Yale University, and American diplomat.

* Oliver Brewster (b. 1708), who was married to Martha Wadsworth Brewster, a notable 18th-century American poet and writer. She is one of only four colonial women who published volumes of their verse before the American Revolution and was the first American-born woman to publish under her own name.

* Ralph Owen Brewster, was an American politician from Maine, who was a Republican member of the United States Senator from Maine from 1941 until 1952.

* Julia Child,[56] American entrepreneur and chef of French and French-influenced cuisine

Bob Crosby, [57]was an American dixieland bandleader and vocalist, best known for his group Crosby and the Bob-Cats.

Harry Lillis Bing Crosby,[57] was an American singer and actor.

* Edward Bridge “Ted” Danson III, is an American actor best known for his role as central character Sam Malone in the sitcom Cheers, and his role as Dr. John Becker on the series Becker.[58]

Charles Gates Dawes, was an American banker and politician who was the 30th Vice President of the United States. For his work on the Dawes Plan for World War I reparations he was a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served in the First World War, was U.S. Comptroller of the Currency, the first director of the Bureau of the Budget, and, in later life, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

* Howard Brush Dean III,[59] is an American politician and physician from the U.S. state of Vermont.

Allen Welsh Dulles,[60][61] was the first civilian and the longest serving (1953–61) Director of Central Intelligence (de facto head of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency) and a member of the Warren Commission.

Avery Robert Dulles,[60][61] was a Jesuit priest, theologian, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and served as the Laurence J. McGinley Professor of Religion and Society at Fordham University from 1988 to 2008.[62] He was an internationally known author and lecturer.

* John Foster Dulles,[60][61] served as U.S. Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1959.

Richard Gere,[63] is an American actor.

* Katharine Hepburn,[41][64][65] was an American actress of film, television and stage.

* Brewster Jennings,[33][34][35] was a founder and president of the Socony-Vacuum company, which became, in 1955, the Standard Oil Company of New York (Socony), which would later become Mobil Oil, and then merged to become part of ExxonMobil.

* George Trumbull Ladd,[66][67][68] was an American philosopher and psychologist.

* Oliver La Farge,[69][70][71] was an American writer and anthropologist, best known for his 1930 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Laughing Boy.

John Lithgow,[72] American actor and philanthropist

* Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,[73][74] was an American educator and poet

* Seth MacFarlane,[75] is an American animator, composer, writer, producer, actor, voice actor, and creator of Family Guy

* George B. McClellan,[60][76][77][78] Civil War general, Governor of New Jersey, Democratic opponent of Abraham Lincoln in the 1864 United States presidential election

* Jan Garrigue Masaryk,[60][61] was a Czech diplomat and politician and Foreign Minister of Czechoslovakia from 1940 to 1948.

* Samuel Eliot Morison, an Rear Admiral, United States Naval Reserve and an American historian, noted for producing works of maritime history that were both authoritative and highly readable. A sailor as well as a scholar, Morison garnered numerous honors, including two Pulitzer Prizes, two Bancroft Prizes, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

* Robert Noyce,[36][37] nicknamed "the Mayor of Silicon Valley", was the inventor of the integrated circuit or microchip.

* Sarah Palin,[79] is an American politician, author, speaker, and political commentator who served as the Governor of Alaska from 2006 until she resigned in 2009. She was the Republican nominee for Vice President of the United States in 2008.

* Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, [70][71]1785–1819) an officer in the US Navy. He served in the War of 1812 against Britain, and earned the title "Hero of Lake Erie." * Matthew Calbraith Perry, [70][71](1794–1858) was the Commodore of the U.S. Navy who compelled the opening of Japan to the West with the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854.

* James Leonard Plimpton,[10][11][12][13][80][81] an American inventor who is known for changing the skating world with his patented roller skates in 1863. He also opened some of the earliest roller skating rinks in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island.

Thomas Ruggles Pynchon, Jr. (born May 8, 1937) is an American novelist based in New York City and noted for his dense and complex works of fiction. His best known novels are: V. (1963), The Crying of Lot 49 (1966), Gravity's Rainbow (1973), and Mason & Dixon (1997).[82]

* William Blaine "Bill" Richardson III,[83] is a Democratic politician and the current Governor of New Mexico.

* Cokie Roberts,[84] is an American Emmy Award-winning journalist and bestselling author.

John Davison "Jay" Rockefeller IV,[85][86] has served as a Democratic U.S. Senator from West Virginia since 1985.

Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller,[85][86] was the 41st Vice President of the United States, the 49th governor of New York, a philanthropist, and a businessman.

* Brewster Hopkinson Shaw, Jr.,[87] is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and former NASA astronaut.

Henry Brewster Stanton,[88][26][27][28] was a 19th century abolitionist and social reformer. He was married to Elizabeth Cady Stanton, an American social activist, abolitionist, and leading figure of the early woman's movement.

David Souter,[89] is a former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

* Adlai Ewing Stevenson III,[60][61] is an American politician of the Democratic Party. He represented the state of Illinois in the United States Senate from 1970 until 1981.

Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr.,[90] the publisher of The New York Times and chairman of the board of its owner, The New York Times Company.

Zachary Taylor,[91][92][93][94][95]was an American military leader and the 12th President of the United States.

* Sarah Knox Taylor,[94][96] the daughter of General Zachary Taylor, later President of the United States, and the wife of Jefferson Davis President of the Confederate States of America.

Henry Bradford Washburn, was an explorer, mountaineer, photographer, and cartographer. He established the Boston Museum of Science, served as its director from 1939-1980, and from 1985 until his death served as its Honorary Director (a lifetime appointment).

Stuart Taylor Wood,[91][92][93][94] CMG, served as the ninth Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, from March 6, 1938 to April 30, 1951.

Sewall Green Wright,[97][41][98][99] was an American geneticist known for his influential work on evolutionary theory.

References

Burt, Daniel S. The Chronology of American Literature: America's Literary Achievements from the Colonial Era to Modern Times New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2004. ISBN 978-0618168217

Hughes, Thomas Patrick. American ancestry: giving the name and descent, in the male line, of Americans whose ancestors settled in the United States previous to the Declaration of independence, A.D. 1776, Volume 11; Publisher J. Munsell's sons, 1898

Jones, Emma C. Brewster. The Brewster Genealogy, 1566-1907: a Record of the Descendants of William Brewster of the "Mayflower," ruling elder of the Pilgrim church which founded Plymouth Colony in 1620. New York: Grafton Press. 1908

Merrick, Barbara Lambert. William Brewster of the Mayflower and His Descendants for Four Generations Barbara Lambert Merrick, compiler, Published by General Society of Mayflower Descendants, Revised 3rd Edition. 2000.

Steele, Ashbel. Chief of the Pilgrims: or, The life and time of William Brewster, ruling elder of the Pilgrim company that founded New Plymouth, the parent colony of New England, in 1620 J.B. Lippincott, 1857.

Schmidt, Gary D. A Passionate Usefulness: The Life and Literary Labors of Hannah Adams. University of Virginia Press, 2004. ISBN 0813922720

William Brewster - Mayflower Passenger Added by gacor1965 on 26 Sep 2009 Originally submitted by rbholmes22 to Robert Bradford Holmes on 27 Jan 2009

William Brewster was the Reverend Elder of the Pilgrim's church at Plymouth, since their pastor John Robinson remained behind in Leyden, Holland with the majority of the congregation which planned to come to America at a later time. Brewster was a fugitive from the King of England, because he had published a number of religious pamphlets while in Leyden which were critical or opposed the tenets of the Church of England. He had been a member of the Separatist church movement from its very beginning, and was the oldest Mayflower passenger to have participated at the First Thanksgiving, in his early fifties. He was the draftor of the Mayflower compact. He was educated at Cambridge, the oldest aboard the Mayflower.

Arrived on the Mayflower

William Brewster Estate

MD III,1,15+

Though not included here, William Brewster left behind numerous volumes of books--so many that a separate inventory was made of them. Dying intestate, it was agreed by his sons that they could agree on a fair and impartial settlement of their father's estate, however this was not entirely the case as noted in the last of these proceedings.

Elder William Brewster died at Plymouth, 10 April 1644, without having made a will, and on 5 June, 1644, his "onely two sonnes surviveing," Jonathan and Love, were appointed administrators of his estate.

Court Orders, II: 101. Under date of 5 June, 1644. Lres of administracon of all the goods and cattells of mr Willm Brewster deceased are graunted by the Court to Jonathan Brewster and Love Brewster And A true Inventory thereof was exhibited to the Court upon the Oathes of the said Jonathan & Love.

Plymouth Colony Wills, I: 53. Lres of Administracon of all the goods and cattells of mr Willm Brewster Deceased were graunted to Jonathan Brewster and Love Brewster at the genrall Court holden at Plymouth the fift Day of June in the xxth yeare of his said Mas now Raigne of England &c and a true Inventory thereof was exhibited to the Court upon the Oathes of the said Jonathan and Love the same Court.

The totall is 107 0 8 Myles Standish Tho: Prence.

The totall of both latten & English books amounts to the sum of 42 . 19 . 11 The totall both of goods & bookes amounts in all to 150 . 00 . 27 Wm Bradford Tho: Prence

Biographical Summary

William Brewster was born about 1566, the son of William Brewster. He was educated in both Greek and Latin and spent some time at Cambridge University, although he never completed a full degree. He went into the service of William Davison, then Secretary of State, while his father back home maintained a position as the postmaster of Scrooby, Nottinghamshire. Under Davison, Brewster first traveled to the Netherlands. After Davison's departure as Secretary of State, Brewster worked himself into his father's postmaster duties and maintained Scrooby Manor. Brewster was instrumental in establishing the small Separatist church with Richard Clyfton, and they often held their meetings in the Manor house. Brewster and the others were eventually found and forced out, and fleeing prosecution and persecution they headed to Amsterdam in 1608, and moving to Leiden, Holland in 1609. Brewster became the church's Elder, responsible for seeing that the congregation's members carried themselves properly, both helping and admonishing them when necessary.

In Leiden, Brewster working with Thomas Brewer became working a printing press and publishing religious books and pamphlets which were then illegally conveyed into England. Brewster also employed himself teaching University of Leiden students English. By 1618, the English authorities were onto him and his printing press, and had the Dutch authorities in pursuit of him. Thomas Brewer was arrested and held in the University of Leiden's prison, but Brewster managed to evade the authorities and went into hiding for a couple years.

When the Leiden church congregation decided to send the first wave to set up and establish a colony that everyone could eventually move to, their pastor John Robinson decided to remain behind in Leiden with the majority of the congregation, intending to come later. The smaller group that went on the Mayflower desired the next highest ranking church official, Elder Brewster, go with them; so he agreed. He brought his wife Mary and two youngest children, Love and Wrestling, on the Mayflower with him.

Brewster continued his work as Church Elder throughout his life at Plymouth Colony. His wife Mary died in 1627, and he never remarried. He lived to be nearly 80 years old, dying in 1644. Shortly after he died, William Bradford wrote a short but concise biography of Brewster, just a couple pages, in his history Of Plymouth Plantation.

William Brewster was the son of William Brewster and Mary Smith/Smyth. I have so far seen three diferent birth dates for hi. ranging from 1151 - 1566. He went Leiden ,Holland where he lived and married Mary. There is conjecture about Mary's last name! He and Mary and children were passengers on The Mayflower. He was educated in both Greek and Latin.

Ref. Pilgrim Hall Museum Web Site Mayflower Passenger list

In Dec 1580, William matriculated at Peterhouse College, the oldest of the Cambridge colleges. Between Sep - Nov 1620 he traveled to North America on the Mayflower. Excerpts from Wikipedia:

"Elder William Brewster (c. 1566 - April 10, 1644), was a Pilgrim colonist leader and preacher who came from Scrooby, in north Nottinghamshire and reached what became the Plymouth Colony in the Mayflower in 1620. He was accompanied by his wife, Mary Brewster, and his sons, Love Brewster and Wrestling Brewster. Son Jonathan joined the family in November 1621, arriving at Plymouth on the ship Fortune, and daughters Patience and Fear arrived in July 1623 aboard the Anne.

Origins

He was the son of William Brewster and Mary Smyth and he had a number of half-siblings. His paternal grandparents were William Brewster and Maud Mann. His maternal grandfather was Thomas Smyth. Brewster may have been born in Doncaster.

Scrooby Manor was in the possession of the Archbishops of York. Brewster's father, William senior, had been the estate bailiff for the archbishop for thirty-one years from around 1580. With this post went that of postmaster, which was a more important one than it might have been in a village not situated on the Great North Road, as Scrooby was then.

William Junior studied briefly at Peterhouse, Cambridge before entering the service of William Davidson in 1584. In 1585, Davidson went to the Netherlands to negotiate an alliance with the States-General. In 1586, Davidson was appointed assistant to Queen Elizabeth's Secretary of State Francis Walsingham, but in 1587 Davidson lost the favour of Elizabeth, after the beheading of her cousin (once removed) Mary, Queen of Scots.

[edit] Dissent

Cambridge was a centre of thought concerning religious reformism, but Brewster's time in the Netherlands, in connection with Davidson's work, gave him opportunity to hear and see more of reformed religion. While, earlier in the sixteenth century, reformers had hoped to amend the Anglican church, by the end of it, many were looking toward splitting from it. (See Brownist).

On Davidson's disgrace, Brewster returned to Scrooby. There, from 1590 to 1607, he held the position of postmaster. As such he was responsible for the provision of stage horses for the mails, having previously, for a short time, assisted his father in that office. By the 1590s, Brewster's brother, James, was a rather rebellious Anglican priest, vicar of the parish of Sutton cum Lound, in Nottinghamshire. From 1594, it fell to James to appoint curates to Scrooby church so that Brewster, James and leading members of the Scrooby congregation were brought before the ecclesiastical court for their dissent. They were set on a path of separation from the Anglican Church. From about 1602, Scrooby Manor, Brewster's home, became a meeting place for the dissenting Puritans. In 1606, they formed the Separatist Church of Scrooby.

[edit] Emigration

Restrictions and pressures applied by the authorities convinced the congregation of a need to emigrate to the more sympathetic atmosphere of Holland, but leaving England without permission was illegal at the time, so that departure was a complex matter. On its first attempt, in 1607, the group was arrested at Scotia Creek, but in 1608 Brewster and others were successful in leaving from The Humber. In 1609, he was selected as ruling elder of the congregation.

Initially, the Pilgrams settled in Amsterdam, and worshipped with the Ancient Church of Francis Johnson and Henry Ainsworth. Offput by the bickering between the two, though (which ultimately resulted in a division of the Church), the Pilgrims left Amsterdam and moved to Leiden, after only a year.

In Leiden, the group managed to make a living. Brewster taught English and later, in 1616-1619, printed and published religious books for sale in England though they were proscribed there, as the partner of one Thomas Brewer. In 1619, the printing type was seized by the authorities under pressure from the English ambassador Sir Dudley Carleton and Brewster's partner was arrested. Brewster escaped and, with the help of Robert Cushman, obtained a land patent from the London Virginia Company on behalf of himself and his colleagues.

In 1620 he joined the first group of Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower on the voyage to North America. When the colonists landed at Plymouth, Brewster became the senior elder of the colony, serving as its religious leader and as an advisor to Governor William Bradford.

As the only university educated member of the colony, Brewster took the part of the colony's religious leader until a pastor, Ralph Smith, arrived in 1629. Thereafter, he continued to preach irregularly until his death in April 1644.

Brewster was granted land amongst the islands of Boston Harbor, and four of the outer islands (Great Brewster, Little Brewster, Middle Brewster and Outer Brewster) now bear his name.[1][2]

Brewster died in 1644 and was likely buried in Miles Standish Burial Ground in Duxbury."

Came over on the Mayflower Elder of the Pilgrim church Elder William Brewster immigrated with his wife Mary and two of their youngest children, Love and Wrestling. They arrived aboard the 'Mayflower' on 21 November 1620, at Plymouth Massachusetts. was a Pilgrim colonist leader and preacher who came from Scrooby, in north Nottinghamshire and reached what became the Plymouth Colony in the Mayflower in 1620. He was accompanied by his wife, Mary Brewster, and his sons, Love Brewster and Wrestling Brewster. Son Jonathan joined the family in November 1621, arriving at Plymouth on the ship Fortune, and daughters Patience and Fear arrived in July 1623 aboard the Anne. William Brewster was born about 1566, the son of William Brewster. He was educated in both Greek and Latin and spent some time at Cambridge University, although he never completed a full degree. He went into the service of William Davison, then Secretary of State, while his father back home maintained a position as the postmaster of Scrooby, Nottinghamshire. Under Davison, Brewster first traveled to the Netherlands. After Davison's departure as Secretary of State, Brewster worked himself into his father's postmaster duties and maintained Scrooby Manor. Brewster was instrumental in establishing the small Separatist church with Richard Clyfton, and they often held their meetings in the Manor house. Brewster and the others were eventually found and forced out, and fleeing prosecution and persecution they headed to Amsterdam in 1608, and moving to Leiden, Holland in 1609. Brewster became the church's Elder, responsible for seeing that the congregation's members carried themselves properly, both helping and admonishing them when necessary.

Chest thought to have been brought to America by William Brewster on the Mayflower. Photo courtesy of the Pilgrim Hall Museum.

In Leiden, Brewster working with Thomas Brewer became working a printing press and publishing religious books and pamphlets which were then illegally conveyed into England. Brewster also employed himself teaching University of Leiden students English. By 1618, the English authorities were onto him and his printing press, and had the Dutch authorities in pursuit of him. Thomas Brewer was arrested and held in the University of Leiden's prison, but Brewster managed to evade the authorities and went into hiding for a couple years.

When the Leiden church congregation decided to send the first wave to set up and establish a colony that everyone could eventually move to, their pastor John Robinson decided to remain behind in Leiden with the majority of the congregation, intending to come later. The smaller group that went on the Mayflower desired the next highest ranking church official, Elder Brewster, go with them; so he agreed. He brought his wife Mary and two youngest children, Love and Wrestling, on the Mayflower with him.

Brewster continued his work as Church Elder throughout his life at Plymouth Colony. His wife Mary died in 1627, and he never remarried. He lived to be nearly 80 years old, dying in 1644. Shortly after he died, William Bradford wrote a short but concise biography of Brewster, just a couple pages, in his history Of Plymouth Plantation.

On 12 June 1609, a Leyden record shows that William Brewster and Ann Peck gave power of attorney to Thomas Simkinson, merchant of Hull. Presumably Thomas Simkinson has some relation to Brewster's mother's first husband John Simkinson.

Will of Love Brewster

BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY: William Brewster was the Reverend Elder of the Pilgrim's church at Plymouth, since their pastor John Robinson remained behind in Leyden, Holland with the majority of the congregation which planned to come to America at a later time. Brewster was a fugitive from the King of England, because he had published a number of religious pamphlets while in Leyden which were critical or opposed the tenets of the Church of England. He had been a member of the Separatist church movement from its very beginning, and was the oldest Mayflower passenger to have participated at the First Thanksgiving, in his early fifties.

William Bradford wrote a lot about William Brewster in Of Plymouth Plantation, some of which follows:

After he had attained some learning, viz. the knowledge of Latin tongue, and some insight in the Greek, and spent some small time at Cambridge, and then being first seasoned with the seeds of grace and virtue, he went to the court, and served that religious and godly gentleman, Mr. Davison, divers years, when he was Secretary of State; who found him so discreet and faithful as he trusted him above all other that were about him, and only employed him in all matters of greatest trust and secrecy . . . he attended his mr. when he was sent in ambassage by the Queen into the Low Countries . . . And, at his return, the States honored him with a gold chain, and his master committed it to him, and commanded him to wear it when they arrived in England, as they rid through the country, till they came to the court . . . Afterwards he went and lived in the country, in good esteem amongst his friends and the gentlemen of those parts, especially the Godly and religious. He did much good in the country where he lived, in promoting and furthering religion not only by his practise and example, and provocating and encouraging of others, but by procuring of good preachers to the places thereabouts, and drawing on of others to assist and help forward in such work; he himself most commonly deepest in the charge, and sometimes above his ability. . . . They ordinarily met at this house on the Lord's day, (which was a manor of the bishops) and with great love he entertained them when they came, making provision for them to his great charge. He was the chief of those that were taken at Boston, and suffered the greatest loss; and of the seven that were kept longest in prison, and after bound over . . . After he came into Holland he suffered much hardship, after he had spent the most of his means, having a great charge, and many children; and, in regard of his former breeding and course of life, not so fit for many employments as others were, especially as were toilsome and laborious. But yet he ever bore his condition with much cheerfulness and contention. Towards the later part of those 12 years spent in Holland, his outward condition was mended, and he lived well and plentifully; for he fell into a way to teach many students, who had a desire to learn the English tongue, to teach them English; . . . He also had means to set up printing, by the help of some friends . . . and by reason of many books which would not be allowed to be printed in England, they might have had more then they could do. . . . And besides that, he would labor with his hands in the fields as long as he was able; yet when the church had no other minister, he taught twice every Sabbath . . . For his personal abilities, he was qualified above many; he was wise and discreet and well spoken, having a grave and deliberate utterance, of a very cheerful spirit, very sociable and pleasant amongst his friends, of an humble and modest mind, of a peaceable disposition, undervaluing himself and his own abilities . . . inoffensive and innocent in his life and conversation . . . he was tender-hearted, and compassionate of such as were in misery, but especially of such as had been of good estate and rank, and were fallen into want and poverty, either for goodness and religions sake, or by the injury and oppression of others; . . .

NOTE ON WILLIAM BREWSTER'S WIFE: The maiden name of William Brewster's wife has not been proven. The claim it was Mary Wentworth rests solely on the fact that Mary Wentworth happened to live somewhat close to William Brewster in Scrooby, Nottingham. That is very shaky evidence to say the least. Further, it has been proposed that William Brewster may have married Mary Wyrall, but the evidence is just as flimsy for that marriage. There are no fewer than seven marriages from 1590-1610 that have been located in parish registers showing a William Brewster marrying a Mary. All, however, have been satisfactorily eliminated as probable candidates for the William and Mary (Brewster) who came on the Mayflower. So at present, there is no evidence to document who William Brewster's wife Mary actually was.

Elder William Brewster (c. 1560 or 1566 – April 10, 1644) was a Pilgrim colonist leader and preacher born in Doncaster, England and raised in Scrooby, in north Nottinghamshire, who reached what became the Plymouth Colony in the Mayflower in 1620. He was accompanied by his wife, Mary Brewster, and his sons, Love Brewster and Wrestling Brewster. Son Jonathan joined the family in November 1621, arriving at Plymouth on the ship Fortune, and daughters Patience and Fear arrived in July 1623 aboard the Anne.

Biography

Origins

He was born probably at Doncaster, Yorkshire, England, circa 1566/1567, although no birth records have been found, [1][2][3][4][5] and died at Plymouth, Massachusetts on April 10, 1644 around 9 or 10pm.[1][2][3][4][5] He was the son of William Brewster and Mary (Smythe) (Simkinson) and he had a number of half-siblings. His paternal grandparents were William Brewster and Maud Mann. His maternal grandfather was Thomas Smythe.

Scrooby Manor was in the possession of the Archbishops of York. Brewster's father, William senior, had been the estate bailiff for the archbishop for thirty-one years from around 1580. With this post went that of postmaster, which was a more important one than it might have been in a village not situated on the Great North Road, as Scrooby was then.

William Junior studied briefly at Peterhouse, Cambridge before entering the service of William Davison in 1584.[6] In 1585, Davidson went to the Netherlands to negotiate an alliance with the States-General. In 1586, Davison was appointed assistant to Queen Elizabeth's Secretary of State Francis Walsingham, but in 1587 Davison lost the favour of Elizabeth, after the beheading of her cousin (once removed) Mary, Queen of Scots.

Dissent

Cambridge was a centre of thought concerning religious reformism, but Brewster's time in the Netherlands, in connection with Davidson's work, gave him opportunity to hear and see more of reformed religion. While, earlier in the sixteenth century, reformers had hoped to amend the Anglican church, by the end of it, many were looking toward splitting from it.

On Davidson's disgrace, Brewster returned to Scrooby. There, from 1590 to 1607, he held the position of postmaster. As such he was responsible for the provision of stage horses for the mails, having previously, for a short time, assisted his father in that office. By the 1590s, Brewster's brother, James, was a rather rebellious Anglican priest, vicar of the parish of Sutton cum Lound, in Nottinghamshire. From 1594, it fell to James to appoint curates to Scrooby church so that Brewster, James and leading members of the Scrooby congregation were brought before the ecclesiastical court for their dissent. They were set on a path of separation from the Anglican Church. From about 1602, Scrooby Manor, Brewster's home, became a meeting place for the dissenting Puritans. In 1606, they formed the Separatist Church of Scrooby.

Emigration

Restrictions and pressures applied by the authorities convinced the congregation of a need to emigrate to the more sympathetic atmosphere of Holland, but leaving England without permission was illegal at the time, so that departure was a complex matter. On its first attempt, in 1607, the group was arrested at Scotia Creek, but in 1608 Brewster and others were successful in leaving from The Humber. In 1609, he was selected as ruling elder of the congregation.

Initially, the Pilgrims settled in Amsterdam, and worshiped with the Ancient Church of Francis Johnson and Henry Ainsworth. Offput by the bickering between the two, though (which ultimately resulted in a division of the Church), the Pilgrims left Amsterdam and moved to Leiden, after only a year.

In Leiden, the group managed to make a living. Brewster taught English and later, in 1616-1619, printed and published religious books for sale in England though they were proscribed there, as the partner of one Thomas Brewer. In 1619, the printing type was seized by the authorities under pressure from the English ambassador Sir Dudley Carleton and Brewster's partner was arrested. Brewster escaped and, with the help of Robert Cushman, obtained a land patent from the London Virginia Company on behalf of himself and his colleagues.

In 1620 he joined the first group of Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower on the voyage to North America. When the colonists landed at Plymouth, Brewster became the senior elder of the colony, serving as its religious leader and as an adviser to Governor William Bradford.

As the only university educated member of the colony, Brewster took the part of the colony's religious leader until a pastor, Ralph Smith, arrived in 1629. Thereafter, he continued to preach irregularly until his death in April 1644.

Brewster was granted land amongst the islands of Boston Harbor, and four of the outer islands (Great Brewster, Little Brewster, Middle Brewster and Outer Brewster) now bear his name. In 1632 Brewster received lands in nearby Duxbury, and removed from Plymouth to create a farm in Duxbury.[7]

Brewster died in 1644 and was likely buried in Plymouth, possibly upon Burial Hill; however his place of burial is unknown.[1][2][3][4][5][8]

Children

William Brewster married, sometime before 1593, in England, Mary, whose maiden name and parentage have not yet been proven; it has been speculated that it could be either Wyrall or Wentworth, but there is no compelling evidence for either assumption.[1][2][3][4][5] She was probably born in England circa 1568-1569. She 'dyed at Plymouth, Massachusetts on April 17, 1627.' (Brewster Book).* Bradford says that, though she died ' long before' her husband, 'yet she dyed aged,' but by her affidavit of 1609 she was less than sixty years of age and it is probable that her ' great & continuall labours, with others crosses, and sorrows, hastened it (t. a. old age) before y* time.'[9]

The children of William and Mary were:

Elder Jonathan Brewster (August 12, 1593 - August 7, 1659) married Lucretia Oldham of Derby on 10 April 1624,[4][10][11][12][13] and were the parents of eight children:

Fear Brewster (c. 1606 - before 1634)[4] so called because she was born at the height of the Puritans' persecution. Married Isaac Allerton of London, 2 children.

Unnamed child was born, died and buried in 1609 in Leiden, Holland.[4]

Love Brewster was born in Leiden, Holland about 1611 and died between October 6, 1650 and January 31, 1650/1, at Duxbury, Massachusetts.[4][14][15] At the age of about 9, he traveled with his father, mother and brother, Wrestling, on the Mayflower to Plymouth, Massachusetts. He married Sarah Collier in Plymouth, Massachusetts on May 15, 1634. Love and Sarah were the parents of 4 children:

Wrestling Brewster was born in 1614 in Leiden, Holland; was living in 1627, died unmarried before the 1644 settlement of his father's estate.[4]

References

Burt, Daniel S. The Chronology of American Literature: America's Literary Achievements from the Colonial Era to Modern Times New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2004. ISBN 978-0618168217

Hughes, Thomas Patrick. American ancestry: giving the name and descent, in the male line, of Americans whose ancestors settled in the United States previous to the Declaration of independence, A.D. 1776, Volume 11; Publisher J. Munsell's sons, 1898

Jones, Emma C. Brewster. The Brewster Genealogy, 1566-1907: a Record of the Descendants of William Brewster of the "Mayflower," ruling elder of the Pilgrim church which founded Plymouth Colony in 1620. New York: Grafton Press. 1908

Merrick, Barbara Lambert. William Brewster of the Mayflower and His Descendants for Four Generations Barbara Lambert Merrick, compiler, Published by General Society of Mayflower Descendants, Revised 3rd Edition. 2000.

Steele, Ashbel. Chief of the Pilgrims: or, The life and time of William Brewster, ruling elder of the Pilgrim company that founded New Plymouth, the parent colony of New England, in 1620 J.B. Lippincott, 1857.

Schmidt, Gary D. A Passionate Usefulness: The Life and Literary Labors of Hannah Adams. University of Virginia Press, 2004. ISBN 0813922720

Came over on the Mayflower. CAME ON THE MAYFLOWER (1620) Elder William Brewster, MAYFLOWER Passenger.Pilgrim colonist, leader and preacher Elder William Brewster came from Scrooby, in north Nottinghamshire and reached what became the Plymouth Colony in the Mayflower in 1620. He was accompanied by his wife, Mary Brewster, and his sons, Love Brewster and Wrestling Brewster. The town of Brewster, Barnstable, MA was incorporated Febr 19, 1803 and was named for Elder William Brewster. A large part of the inhabitants being his descendants William Brewster attended Peterhouse College, Cambridge 1580-1583; was postmaster and baliff-receiver at Scrooby, England 1590-1607. Organized Scrooby congregation 1606-1609; removed his family to Amsterdam and later to Leyden, Holland where he tutored 1609-1616 and was ruling Elder 1616-1619. He was in flight and hiding in England in 1619-1620 while arranging passage for the Sainets to New England. William, his wife and two youngest sons arrived Plymouth via the Mayflower in 1620. At Plymouth, William was Ruling Elder until 1643. He was also purchaser 1626; Undertaker 1627-1641 http://www.geni.com/photo/view/358782031710004109?album_type=photos_of_me&photo_id=6000000012327894211 William Brewster was the fourth signature on the Mayflower Compact. He arrived in the New World on board the Mayflower with his wife, and at least one child. The picture is imaginary, but was used by Wikipedia at Elder William Brewster's entry. Came from Europe on the Mayflower Pilgrim colonist, leader and preacher Elder William Brewster came from Scrooby, in north Nottinghamshire and reached what became the Plymouth Colony in the Mayflower in 1620. He was accompanied by his wife, Mary Brewster, and his sons, Love Brewster and Wrestling Brewster. The town of Brewster, Barnstable, MA was incorporated Febr 19, 1803 and was named for Elder William Brewster. A large part of the inhabitants being his descendants

William Brewster attended Peterhouse College, Cambridge 1580-1583; was postmaster and baliff-receiver at Scrooby, England 1590-1607. Organized Scrooby congregation 1606-1609; removed his family to Amsterdam and later to Leyden, Holland where he tutored 1609-1616 and was ruling Elder 1616-1619. He was in flight and hiding in England in 1619-1620 while arranging passage for the Sainets to New England. William, his wife and two youngest sons arrived Plymouth via the Mayflower in 1620. At Plymouth, William was Ruling Elder until 1643. He was also purchaser 1626; Undertaker 1627-1641

Pilgrim colonist, leader and preacher Elder William Brewster came from Scrooby, in north Nottinghamshire and reached what became the Plymouth Colony in the Mayflower in 1620. He was accompanied by his wife, Mary Brewster, and his sons, Love Brewster and Wrestling Brewster. The town of Brewster, Barnstable, MA was incorporated Febr 19, 1803 and was named for Elder William Brewster. A large part of the inhabitants being his descendants

William Brewster attended Peterhouse College, Cambridge 1580-1583; was postmaster and baliff-receiver at Scrooby, England 1590-1607. Organized Scrooby congregation 1606-1609; removed his family to Amsterdam and later to Leyden, Holland where he tutored 1609-1616 and was ruling Elder 1616-1619. He was in flight and hiding in England in 1619-1620 while arranging passage for the Sainets to New England. William, his wife and two youngest sons arrived Plymouth via the Mayflower in 1620. At Plymouth, William was Ruling Elder until 1643. He was also purchaser 1626; Undertaker 1627-1641

******

Biography compiled by William L. DeCoursey, GSMD #68501, a descendant of William Brewster.

William BREWSTER, son of William and Mary (SMYTHE) BREWSTER of Scrooby, England, was born in January 1563/4. He was regarded as leader of the Pilgrims at Scrooby (near Sherwood Forest), where his father became bailiff of the Manor of Scrooby in 1675, and was later appointed postmaster by Queen Elizabeth. In 1580, William Brewster (1563-1644) matriculated at Peterhouse College, in Cambridge, where it is believed he acquired his earliest Separatist ideas. The Separatists held the view that "the worship of the English Church is flat idolatry; that we admit into our Church persons unsanctified; that our preachers have no lawful calling; that our government is ungodly; that no bishop or preacher preacheth Christ sincerely and truly; that the people of every parish ought to choose their bishop, and that every elder, though he be no doctor nor pastor, is a bishop; that set prayer is blasphemous." These were radical views, which struck at the very roots of the government established Eng lish church. In Cambridge William BREWSTER joined the Separatist "underground" teachers and students who militantly refused to attend the compulsory services in the state-controlled churches. After competing his studies at Cambridge, William BREWSTER (Jr.) was employed by Puritan, Sir William DAVISON, Secretary of State to Queen Elizabeth and her personal envoy to Holland. William BREWSTER accompanied DAVISON, as his personal aide, to Holland, during the war with Spain. When the Netherlands surrendered their "cautionary towns" to Elizabeth, the keys of these towns were entrusted by DAVISON to the custody of BREWSTER. William BREWSTER visited the Netherlands in 1584 and again in 1585/86, returning to Scrooby in 1588 after the disgrace of DAVISON, which followed the execution of Mary STUART.

Regarding the possible identity of William Brewster's wife, Mary, John G. Hunt in the January 1965 issue of THE AMERICAN GENEALOGIST, v.41, pp.1-5,63, presents circumstantial evidence that William BREWSTER's wife was Mary WENTWORTH, dau. of Thomas and Grace (GASCOIGNE) WENTWORTH. The evidence has not been accepted as conclusive, however.

In 1587, Thomas COPE/COPP presented the Presbyterian "Book of Discipline" to Parliament, and offered a bill for its enactment into law. For this offense he, together with Peter WENTWORTH, another Puritan, who then stood up for freedom of speech, was committed to the Tower by order of Queen Elizabeth. - (Note: Some say that Elder William BREWSTER, of the Mayflower, married, ca.1585, to Mary WENTWORTH, dau. of Thomas and Grace (GASCOIGNE) WENTWORTH. The Peter WENTWORTH who was condemned to the Tower, perhaps was a brother or cousin of Mary BREWSTER.)

(According to Marshall GARDNER of Yuma, Arizona, William BREWSTER married Mary LOVE. No evidence given.) Until more evidence becomes available, all that can be said is that William Brewster's wife was "Mary", maiden name unknown.

In 1587, Queen Elizabeth, in an effort to conceal her own complicity in the death of Mary STUART Queen of Scots, ordered her Secretary of State, William DAVISON, to trial for supposedly concealing Mary STUART's death warrant among other papers he presented to Elizabeth for her signature. (He was the scape-goat.) He was found guilty, fined and thrown into prison. Queen Elizabeth immediately pardoned Davison, and revoked the fine, and restored his position and title, but unable to face him, she exiled him from the court along with his entourage, including his aide, William BREWSTER. William BREWSTER [Jr.], upon receiving news of the illness of his father, William BREWSTER, Sr., , returned to Scrooby in early 1589. Upon the death of the Senior William BREWSTER, Sir William DAVISON recommended his former aide, William BREWSTER (Jr.), for the bailiff and postmaster positions previously held by BREWSTER's deceased father. During his father's illness, young BREWSTER served more than eighteen months as his father's deputy. On 22 August 1590, a letter was sent from Mr. John STANHOPE to Sir William DAVISON, Queen Elizabeth's secretary. Mr. STANHOPE sent his regrets that he could not comply with DAVISON's request. On the death of old BRUSTER, one Samuel REVERCOTES wrote to STANHOPE for the place of postmaster at SCROOBY, and STANHOPE had complied. He stated his reasons for not conferring the place on young BRUSTER, who had served in that place for his father, old BRUSTER. Secretary DAVISON returned the letter with notes in his own hand in defense of young BREWSTER, and pointed out that since, young BREWSTER had held the positions for over a year-and-a-half during his fathers illness, that he should be allowed to continue. Secretary DAVISON apparently was persuasive and/or able to use his influence. BREWSTER got the positions, which he held until he departed for Holland in 1609. Parliament, in 1593, forbade the Separatists to hold their own services. Anyone who refused to attend church for forty days, and who went instead to private meetings "contrary to the laws and statutes of this realm [and] being thereof lawfully convicted, shall be committed to prison, there to remain without bail or mainprise, until they shall confirm and yield themselves to come to some church."

In the 1593 Parliament, the speaker, Edward COKE, presented the usual petition to the queen, asking for liberty of speech for freedom from arrest, and for access to her majesty. For answer he was told that privilege of speech was granted, but it consisted in saying "yea" or "no;" and that members of Parliament could have access to her majesty at times convenient, and when she was at leisure from other important causes of the realm. Considering this a sharp rebuff, Peter WENTWORTH again shocked Parliament and the Queen by bringing in a bill for settling the succession to the crown, and again he was promptly committed to the Tower. Parliament, in 1593, forbade the Separatists to hold their own services. Anyone who refused to attend church for forty days, and who went instead to private meetings "contrary to the laws and statutes of this realm [and] being thereof lawfully convicted, shall be committed to prison, there to remain without bail or mainprise, until they shall confirm and yield themselves to come to some church." --- A church court was in session in 1597 to consider simony charges against James BREWSTER, vicar of Sutton cum Launde, Nottinghamshire. Before the Rev. Mr. John BENET, L.L.D., "appeared William BREWSTER, gen., brother of the aforesaid James BREWSTER, cleric, which William gave assent to the findings of the court, by which the salary of said cleric was to be withheld."

As early as 1606, a Separatist congregation was formed in Scrooby, which met in the manor house where William BREWSTER lived. "After they were joined together into communion he was a special stay and help unto them. They ordinarily met at his house on the Lord's Day, which was a Manor of the Bishop's [the Archbishop of York]; and with great love he entertained them when they came, making provision for them, to his great charge, and continued to do so, whilst they could stay in England." William BREWSTER was dismissed from his postmaster position at Scrooby, in 1607, because of his Separatist activities.

The Puritan persecution intensified under James I, and William BREWSTER, William BRADFORD and other Scrooby Separatists, at last decided to escape to Holland. "In Autumn 1607, those who had not yet been arrested and thrown into prison resolved to smuggle themselves out of the country. Packing their personal belongings and led by their pastor, Richard CLIFTON, the Separatists set out for the port of Boston, Lincolnshire, England (sixty miles from Scrooby). At Boston, they were betrayed by the captain of the ship that was to have transported them; their goods were ransacked; and they were imprisoned for a month or more. BREWSTER, BRADFORD, and CLIFTON were the last to be set free having served about a year in the prison at Boston, England.

"On 1 December 1607, William Brewster of Scrooby was cited before the High Court of Commission on information that he was a Brownist and disobedient in matters of religion. He was fined 20 pounds." (And apparently he went to prison in addition to the fine.)

A diary entry of 1608 reads, "Seeing themselves thus molested, and that there was no hope of their continuance there, by a joynte consente they resolved to go into the Low Countries, where they heard was freedome of Religion for all men." Their exile to a new and foreign land was not easy. "The ports and havens were shut against them. So as they were fain to seek secret means of conveyance; and to bribe and fee the mariners, and give extra-ordinary rates for their passages. And yet were they often-times betrayed, many of them; and both they and their goods intercepted and surprised, and thereby put to great trouble and charge."

In 1608, another attempt was made by the Separatists to escape to Holland. They were pursued, and in their haste to avoid capture or worse, many of the men were separated from their wives, and families. The women left behind in England were arrested, but their captors, not knowing how to dispose of these women whose only crime was wanting to join their husbands, released them. The families gradually re-united in Holland and settled first in Amsterdam and in 1609 at Leiden, Holland.

In February 1609 permission was granted by the Burgomasters of Leyden, Holland for 150 persons, or thereabouts, to re-settle in Leyden, "provided such persons behave themselves and obey the laws and ordinances. Elder William BREWSTER removed to Leiden, Holland, where he was chosen a ruling elder in the new church. He, at first, made a living as "ribbon maker" in a silk factory, but, as an educated man, he soon was able to earn money by teaching. "His outward condition was mended, and he lived well and plentifully. For he fell into a way, by reason he had the Latin tongue, to teach many students who had a desire to learn the English tongue, to teach them English; and by his method they quickly attained it with great facility; for he drew Rules to learn it by, after the Latin manner. And many Gentlemen, both Danes and Germans, resorted to him, as they had time from other studies; some of them being Great Men's sons."

Elder William BREWSTER, aged about forty-two years, came before the aldermen at Leiden, Holland, 12 June 1609 (eight days before the burial of an un-named child of William BREWSTER), as guardian of Ann PECK, native of Launde (near Scrooby, England), when they granted to Thomas SIMKINSON, merchant of Hull (he probably was son of John and Mary (SMYTHE) SYMKINSON and half-brother of Elder William BREWSTER), the power to received seven pounds sterling that Ann PECK had left in the hands of William WATKIN, pastor of Clarborough (six miles south-east of Scrooby) when she left England.

Ann PECK and her brother Robert PECK were wards of William BREWSTER. That they were William BREWSTER's neice and nephew is apparent, for it seems that their parents were Robert and Prudence (BREWSTER) PECK of Everton (about two miles east of Scrooby); which Robert PECK, in his will dated 1598, proved at York the same year, named wife Prudence and left his daughter Ann seven pounds, six shillings, eight pence.

The register of St. Pancras church, Leyden, records the burial on Saturday, 20 June 1609, of a child of William BREWSTER. The age and sex of the child are not specified. (Comment - It might be reasonable to assume that the "child of William BREWSTER" who was buried, 20 June 1609, was Prudence (BREWSTER) PECK, dau. of William BREWSTER, Sr. and wife of Robert PECK, since her brother, Elder William BREWSTER appeared in court eight days earlier as guardian of Prudence's minor daughter, Ann PECK.) - On 25 June 1609, Elder William BREWSTER, aged about forty-two (other records would make him closer to 45), Mary BREWSTER, about forty, and their son Jonathan, sixteen, appeared in Dutch Court to testify as witnesses in behalf of a merchant of Amsterdam who had a dispute with a supplier of cloth. Their residence was in the "stinckteech" in Leiden on the "Pieterskerkhof," in the little colony of houses on the estate of John ROBINSON. --- William BREWSTER witnessed the betrothal of William PONTUS, weaver, and Wybra HANSON at Leyden in 1610. In 1611, the Separatists congregation purchased an estate at Leiden, where they lived and worshiped. William BREWSTER witnessed the betrothal of Randall THICKINS and Jane WHITE, in 1612, at Leyden. --- In 1616, William BREWSTER, with the aid of John REYNOLDS, a master printer from London and his 22-year-old assistant Edward WINSLOW, printed several anonymous Puritan pamphlets and books, that were smuggled into England for sale there. The publishing house (an extension on the rear of William BREWSTER's house which faced the Stincksteeg, or Stink Alley) was financed by his young friend, Thomas BREWER. King James's government regarded these publications as treasonable; and the English ambassador to Holland insisted that the Dutch authorities imprison Thomas BREWER. William BREWSTER had to go into hiding to avoid arrest, and the printing equipment was seized and impounded. In 1619, the twelve years truce between Spain and Holland was about to expire, and Holland was again menaced by talk of war. The Pilgrims were living as exiles in poor circumstances, in a strange land that might turn into a bloody battleground. They could not return to England, but wanted to find a place that they could raise their families as English away from foreign influence. They looked to America. Elder William BREWSTER was chosen their leader, and while he was in England petitioning the Virginia Company of London, for a land patent and passage to the New World, an order for his arrest went out at the instance of the English ambassador in Holland; however he escaped. . On Friday, 31 July, 1620, William BREWSTER, his wife, his sons, Love and Wrestling and two boys "bound out" to him, Richard MORE and his brother, left Leyden along with other Pilgrims for Delfshaven on the Maas River. They boarded the "Speedwell" there and sailed the next day, and after a quick passage to Southampton, England they met the "Mayflower." The rest of the BREWSTER children, including son, Jonathan, remained behind in Holland and came over afterwards. The two vessels set sail on 5 August, 1620; but after covering about 150 miles, the "Speedwell" was reported to be leaking, and both vessels put in at Dartmouth. There it was decided that the "Mayflower" was to make the voyage alone, and it's final departure was from Plymouth on Wednesday, 6 September, 1620. There were 102 passengers aboard. William BREWSTER was the fourth signer of the Mayflower Compact, 11 November 1620 O.S. ---. William BREWSTER, in 1627, became one of the eight who assumed the Plymouth Colony's debt. Mary BREWSTER, wife of William BREWSTER, died at Plymouth, Massachusetts, 27 April 1627. . Elder William BREWSTER died 10 April 1643/4, "age about 80 years," at Plymouth, Massachusetts. He failed to make a will, and on 5 June 1644, his "onely two sonnes surviveing," Jonathan and Love BREWSTER, were appointed administrators of the estate. His inventory taken by Capt. Miles STANDISH, John DONE and Thomas PRENCE in May 1644, showed that he was a man of wealth when he died. The inventory included an extensive library of Latin and English works.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Brewster_(Mayflower_passenger)

Pilgrim colonist, leader and preacher Elder William Brewster came from Scrooby, in north Nottinghamshire and reached what became the Plymouth Colony in the Mayflower in 1620. He was accompanied by his wife, Mary Brewster, and his sons, Love Brewster and Wrestling Brewster. The town of Brewster, Barnstable, MA was incorporated Febr 19, 1803 and was named for Elder William Brewster. A large part of the inhabitants being his descendants William Brewster attended Peterhouse College, Cambridge 1580-1583; was postmaster and baliff-receiver at Scrooby, England 1590-1607. Organized Scrooby congregation 1606-1609; removed his family to Amsterdam and later to Leyden, Holland where he tutored 1609-1616 and was ruling Elder 1616-1619. He was in flight and hiding in England in 1619-1620 while arranging passage for the Sainets to New England. William, his wife and two youngest sons arrived Plymouth via the Mayflower in 1620. At Plymouth, William was Ruling Elder until 1643. He was also purchaser 1626; Undertaker 1627-1641

Was passenger on Mayflower

William Brewster (1568 – 10 April 1644) was an English official and Mayflower passenger in 1620. In Plymouth Colony, by virtue of his education and existing stature with those immigrating from the Netherlands, Brewster, a separatist, became a regular preacher and the leader of the community